Kaolin | AMERICAN ELEMENTS ® <0.004% How Kaolin is Made Kaolin products are produced from mined Kaolinite (Al2Si2O5(OH)4), a naturally occurring aluminum silicate deposit. The mined mineral is blunged and degritted than screened for tramp impurities. The recovered Kaolin powder is than milled in attrition mills to produce a uniform powder with a defined particle size (D50) and narrow particle size distribution. The milled powder is calcined at specified temperatures depending on the grade to be produced. Calcined Kaolin is than further screened and processed, lab tested for purity and particle size/distribution and packaged. Uses & Applications Paper - Kaolin is the most extensively used additive in the manufacturing of paper , primarily as a filler and coating. Kaolin is combined with wood pulp or fiber to generate substantially more paper filler, and thus more paper. It is a less expensive alternative to all wood paper filler, which has become more expensive as demand for paper increases and supply of wood decreases. Kaolin's primary competition in fillers is calcium carbonate which, though more affordable, has less dramatic results.

The particle size of Kaolin plays an important role in fillers and coatings, as larger particles provide added strength to paper. Kaolin coatings improve paper appearance, giving it varying degrees of gloss, smoothness, brightness, opacity, and most importantly printability. Three aspects of kaolin that shape these characteristics are purity, rheology, and particle geometry. Kaolin high in titanium and iron oxide impurities tends to be duller, and particle shape and size (rheology) are responsible for kaolin's efficiency as a coating. Kaolin improves printability by providing added ink absorption, ink pigment holdout, lowering linting tendency, and increasing roughness. Kaolin can be processed in different ways to omit varying degrees of these qualities. In some cases it is necessary to blend kaolin with other pigments such as calcium carbonate , talc, titanium dioxide and satin white to produce the desired effect in the final paper product. Paint - White kaolin high in silica and alumina is widely used in the manufacturing of paint, often as a less expensive alternative to titanium dioxide . Kaolin is essential for improving the brightness of pigments , as well as controlling the texture for dispersement and coatability.

The silica composition determines texture by absorbing oil in paint mixtures. Levels of alumina determine color brightness, and kaolin free of iron and titanium oxides improves brightness. Generally speaking, the ideal composition of kaolin for paint production is 47% silica , 39% alumina , 13% water (allowing 1% for other elements). Kaolin also improves paint in many other ways such as providing less weight per canister, significantly extending the product life, and improving opacity, gloss, color and viscosity. Calcined kaolin is particularly useful in creating crack resistant paint with high gloss and opacity. Particle size plays a large role in determining qualities opacity, gloss, color and viscosity in paint. Generally speaking the smaller particle size of finer kaolin powder will produce brighter color and more opacity, where coarser kaolin with a small particle size will produce proportionately duller colors and less opacity. Alternatively, coarser kaolin with larger particle size has a positive effect on gloss, and higher viscosity. Ceramics - Kaolin has a wide range of application is the ceramic industry and is commonly used in whiteware products, insulators, and refractories.

In whitewares, kaolin viscosity improves the molding ability of pre-heated materials, offers a stronger finished product, and a smooth surface finish such as those found in tile and porcelain. Kaolin is becoming more prevalent in porcelain insulation due to its high dielectric strength and as an alternative to the scarcer resources high in potash feldsparic materials. Kaolin is used in refractories due to its extremely high fusion point, low water content, and high green strength. Ceramics produced with kaolin have a wide variety of uses, mainly as a metal substitute. Ceramics are becoming more prevalent in aerospace due to their refractory strength. Ceramic knives stay sharper longer and have better durability than metal. Toyota has created an all ceramic car engine capable of running at much higher heats. Recently there have also been advances in bio-ceramics that may lead to new and better teeth and bone replacements. Rubber - Kaolin is an ideal additive to rubber due to its "booklet" particle structure which adds strength and stiffness to the product through enhanced stress transfer. Kaolin is a low cost substitute for silica , and improves properties of calcium carbonate found in rubber solutions.

Fine kaolin with smaller particles produces a stiffer rubber due to increased surface area, while providing more abrasion resistance. Coarse kaolin with larger particle size has a lower reinforcing affect and produces a more abrasive product used in applications such as rubber flooring where more abrasion is necessary. Hard clays are used to produce fine grain for stronger applications while soft clays produce larger flakes and lower reinforcing effects. 80% of the clays used in rubber production are Air Float hard clays, which are air separated to remove impurities. Soft clays tend to incorporate more easily and therefore have higher loading point and quicker extrusions. Kaolin may be weakened further through the process of delaminating if necessary. Calcined kaolin, or water washed clay, is applied in certain wire and cable manufacturing as it improves conductivity. Cements - Kaolin serves an important function in the cement industry as highly calcinated, pulverized kaolin adds compressive strength, flexural strength and water permeability to cement. In general 5-15% activated kaolin mixed with cement creates a superior strength mortar when hardened.

Water permeability is useful in prolonging the durability of concrete and reduces weakening as a whole; calcined kaolin adds flexibility, which is often preferred to the usually brittle finished product. High performance concrete (cement with kaolin additives) can be modified to meet a variety of applications. In particular its shrinkage, strength when compressed, and water permeability makes high performance concrete useful in bridge building. Adhesives - Kaolin's application in the adhesives industry is based almost entirely on the ability to control its rheology. A unique challenge in the adhesive and sealant industry is the necessity of differing levels of viscosity and shearing rates during the mixing phase by the producer and the application phase by the end user. For instance the producer will often require low viscosity during production, and the end product will need to be firmer so it does not spread. Once again particle size determines the rheology of the end product. The relationship between viscosity and shear rates is critical. Low, medium and high viscosity needs to be paired with low, medium and high shear rates based the product in question, and again these relationships may change from production to end use. Dyes - Kaolin use in dyes has much the same relationship present in paint production.

Kaolin acts as an inexpensive filler or extender of the product while increasing color and absorbability. It has been proven to enhance the catalytic ozonation process necessary in some dyes. As in paint, fine kaolin improves brightness, opacity and color, while coarse kaolin improves viscosity. Cosmetics and Soaps - Kaolin is widely used in the cosmetic industry in mud masks for its absorbent qualities and its ability to control rheology. Calcined kaolin when applied to the face in a mud mask actually draws out impurities and toxins from the skin. This is possible because of the insolubility of kaolin which retains its absorbent qualities when mixed with water. As in most cases, kaolin is an ideal additive because it helps to control the thickness of the mud solution. One rare quality in kaolin mud masks possess is removing oil, dirt and toxins without leaving areas of the face, mainly the nose, shinny. These are essentially the same qualities that make kaolin useful in soap, although it is considered the least absorbent of the clays commonly used in soap. Therefore it is used most often in soaps for less oily, dryer skin.

Kaolin is also used in deodorants, tooth paste, anti-inflammatory creams (poultices), and scrubs. History Kaolin (china clay) is a hydrated aluminium silicate crystalline mineral (kaolinite Al2Si2O5(OH)4), formed over many millions of years by the hydrothermal decomposition of granite rocks. Rocks that are rich in kaolin or kaolinite are known as china clay or white clay. The name is derived from Chinese: 高陵/高嶺; pinyin: Gaoling or Kao-ling ("High Hill") in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, China; the hill where it was first mined, many years before its discovery in Europe. The name entered English in 1727 from the French version of the word. William Cookworthy, who was looking for a source of material to produce white chinawares, discovered kaolin in Cornwall, England in 1745. Used in the production of common pipes for centuries in Europe and Asia, Kaolin is most commonly used today in the paper-coating industry. Kaolin can contain very small traces of uranium and thorium , and is therefore useful in radiological dating.

Kaolin has also seen some use in organic farming, as a spray applied to crops to deter insect damage, and in the case of apples, to prevent sun scald. As a folk medicine kaolin is used to soothe an upset stomach; in conventional medicine Kaolin is used as the active substance in liquid anti-diarrhea medicines such as Kaomagma and Kaopectate. In Africa it is used for facial masks or soap and is eaten for pleasure or to suppress hunger, a practice known as geophagy. Consumption is greater among women, especially during pregnancy. This practice is also seen among African-American women in the Southern United States, especially Georgia. In April 2008, the US Naval Medical Research Center announced the successful use of a Kaolinite-derived aluminosilicate nanoparticle infusion in traditional gauze, known commercially as QuikClot Combat Gauze. MSDS / SDS LICENSED GRANTED TO MAKE UNLIMITED PAPER COPIES FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY. Elemental Constituents See more Aluminum products.

Aluminum (or Aluminum) (atomic symbol: Al, atomic number: 13) is a Block P, Group 13, Period 3 element with an atomic weight of 26.9815386. It is the third most abundant element in the earth's crust and the most abundant metallic element. Aluminum's name is derived from alumina, the mineral from which Sir Humphrey Davy attempted to refine it from in 1812. It wasn't until 1825 that Aluminum was first isolated by Hans Christian Oersted. Aluminum is a silvery gray metal that possesses many desirable characteristics. It is light, nonmagnetic and non-sparking. It stands second among metals in the scale of malleability, and sixth in ductility. It is extensively used in many industrial applications where a strong, light, easily constructed material is needed. Although it has only 60% of the electrical conductivity of copper , it is used in electrical transmission lines because of its light weight. Pure aluminum is soft and lacks strength, but alloyed with small amounts of copper , magnesium , silicon , manganese , or other elements it imparts a variety of useful properties.

Aluminum was first predicted by Antoine Lavoisierin 1787 and first isolated by Friedrich Wöhler in 1827. See more Silicon products. Silicon (atomic symbol: Si, atomic number: 14) is a Block P, Group 14, Period 3 element with an atomic weight of 28.085. The number of electrons in each of Silicon's shells is 2, 8, 4 and its electron configuration is [Ne] 3s2 3p2. The silicon atom has a radius of 111 pm and a Van der Waals radius of 210 pm. Silicon was discovered and first isolated by Jöns Jacob Berzelius in 1823. Silicon makes up 25.7% of the earth's crust, by weight, and is the second most abundant element, exceeded only by oxygen. The metalloid is rarely found in pure crystal form and is usually produced from the iron-silicon alloy ferrosilicon.

Silica (or silicon dioxide ), as sand, is a principal ingredient of glass, one of the most inexpensive of materials with excellent mechanical, optical, thermal, and electrical properties. Ultra high purity silicon can be doped with boron , gallium , phosphorus, or arsenic to produce silicon for use in transistors, solar cells , rectifiers, and other solid-state devices which are used extensively in the electronics industry .The name Silicon originates from the Latin word silex which means flint or hard stone. Packaging Specifications Typical bulk packaging includes palletized plastic 5 gallon/25 kg. pails, fiber and steel drums to 1 ton super sacks in full container (FCL) or truck load (T/L) quantities. Research and sample quantities and hygroscopic, oxidizing or other air sensitive materials may be packaged under argon or vacuum. Shipping documentation includes a Certificate of Analysis and Safety Data Sheet (SDS). Solutions are packaged in polypropylene, plastic or glass jars up to palletized 440 gallon liquid totes, and 36,000 lb. tanker trucks.

Research Recent Research & Development for Kaolin CSF flow pathways through the ventricle-cistern interfaces in kaolin-induced hydrocephalus rats-laboratory investigation. Yoon JS, Nam TK, Kwon JT, Park SW, Park YS. Childs Nerv Syst. 2015 Sep 8. New organophilic kaolin clays based on single-point grafted 3-aminopropyl dimethylethoxysilane. Zaharia A, Perrin FX, Teodorescu M, Radu AL, Iordache TV, Florea AM, Donescu D, Sarbu A. Phys Chem Chem Phys. 2015 Sep 7. A comparative study of tissue factor and kaolin on blood coagulation assays using rotational thromboelastometry and thromboelastography. Peng HT, Grodecki R, Rizoli S, Shek PN. Blood Coagul Fibrinolysis. 2015 Sep 1. Assembling strategy to synthesize palladium modified kaolin nanocomposites with different morphologies. Li X, Ouyang J, Zhou Y, Yang H. Sci Rep.

2015 Sep 3 Effects of in vitro hemodilution with crystalloids, colloids, and plasma on canine whole blood coagulation as determined by kaolin-activated thromboelastography. Morris BR, deLaforcade A, Lee J, Palmisano J, Meola D, Rozanski E. J Vet Emerg Crit Care (San Antonio). 2015 Jul 28. Effect of Hautriwaic Acid Isolated from Dodonaea viscosa in a Model of Kaolin/Carrageenan-Induced Monoarthritis. Salinas-Sánchez DO, Zamilpa A, Pérez S, Herrera-Ruiz M, Tortoriello J, González-Cortazar M, Jiménez-Ferrer E. Planta Med. 2015 Sep Influence of relative humidity on heterogeneous kinetics of NO2 on kaolin and hematite. Liu Y, Han C, Ma J, Bao X, He H. Phys Chem Chem Phys. 2015 Jul 15 Peripheral Neurokinin-1 Receptors Contribute to Kaolin-Induced Acute Monoarthritis in Rats.

Camargo LL, Denadai-Souza A, Yshii LM, Mesquita FP, Soares AG, Lima C, Schenka A, Grant A, Fernandes E, Muscará MN, Costa SK. Neuroimmunomodulation. 2015 Jun 12. Comparison of the topical haemostatic efficacy of nano-micro particles of clinoptilolite and kaolin in a rat model of haemorrhagic injury. Bayır A, Eryılmaz M, Demirbilek M, Denkbaş EB, Arzıman I, Durusu M. Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg. 2015 Mar 14. Heteroaggregation of engineered nanoparticles and kaolin clays in aqueous environments. Wang H, Dong YN, Zhu M, Li X, Keller AA, Wang T, Li F. Water Res. 2015 Sep 1 Calcium Bentonite Clay is Nature's Earth Cure Promoting Natural Health Calcium Bentonite Clay is Nature's Earth Cure Promoting Natural Health PLEASE READ THE DISCLAIMER CAREFULLY BEFORE USING THIS SITE By using this site, you signify your assent, to this disclaimer.

If you do not agree to this disclaimer, please do not use the site. The information in this web site is presented for the educational and free exchange of ideas and speech in relation to health and wellness only. Shirley's Wellness Cafe website is not intended to diagnose any physical or mental condition, or to prescribe or promote any particular product(s).It is not intended as a substitute for the advice and treatment of a licensed professional. In the event that you use the information for your own health, or for your animals, you are prescribing for yourself or your animals, which is your constitutional right and for which the author of this site assumes no responsibility. The author of this website is neither a legal counselor nor a health practitioner, nor a veterinarian and makes no claims in this regard. Reference or links in this web site to any non-government entity, product, service, or information do not constitute endorsement or recommendation. This site is not responsible for the contents of any off-site web pages, companies or persons linked or referenced in this site. You are welcome to follow the links and visit the various websites and determine for yourself if the products are for you.

Shirley's-Wellness-Cafe.com is a free educational web site created from a labor of love and as a public service. Thank you for your understanding. Disclaimer for Shirley's Wellness Cafe Calcium Bentonite Clay is Nature's Earth Cure Promoting Natural Health Clay is renowned to have many uses in promoting health in plants, animals and humans. Calcium Bentonite, Montmorillonite, Pascalite, and other types of healing clays, have been used by indigenous cultures since before recorded history. Naturally absorbent and extremely gentle on the system, Calcium Bentonite clay is a powerful internal and external cleanser. Edible healing clays can treat various skin and internal ailments and attracts and neutralizes poisons in the intestinal tract. It can eliminate food poisoning and parasites. It adsorbs radiation. It enriches and balances blood. Eating Soil Based Organism (SBO) as Medicine Clay, A Powerful Cleanser Internally and Externally Clay molecules carry a negative electrical charge while impurities carry a positive charge. With the clay the positively charged ions are attracted to the negatively charged surfaces of the clay molecule. An exchange reaction occurs in which the clay mineral ions are swapped for the ions of the positive charged substance.

The clay molecule is now electrically satisfied and holds onto the positive ion until our bodies can eliminate both. Calcium Bentonite, also known as 'living clay' , principally consists of minerals that enhance the production of enzymes in all living organisms. Calcium Bentonite mineral deposits have been used by Native American healers for centuries as an internal and external healing agent. The Native Americans would use mineral rich clay on open wounds and for stomach or intestinal distress. The key to these benefits is the natural form in which these minerals are found. Technically, the clay first adsorbs toxins (heavy metals, free radicals, pesticides), attracting them to its extensive surface area where they adhere like flies to sticky paper; then it absorbs the toxins, taking them in the way a sponge mops up a kitchen counter mess. Clay’s adsorptive and absorptive qualities may be the key to its multifaceted healing abilities. Knishinsky reports that drinking clay helped him eliminate painful ganglion cysts (tumors attached to joints and tendons, in his case, in his wrist) in two months, without surgery. Clay is also an excellent vermifuge, attracting and binding internal parasites and packaging them for disposal.

Knishinsky’s research suggests that the regular intake of liquid clay (typically one to three tablespoons daily, in divided doses) can produce other benefits including parasite removal from the intestines, allergy, asthma and hay fever relief , and elimination of anemia and acne. For example, clay helps anemia because it contains both types of dietary iron (ferrous and ferric) in an easily assimilated form; it reduces discomfort from allergies by quickly neutralizing allergens that would otherwise produce allergic reactions; and it reduces heartburn and indigestion by absorbing excess stomach acids. December, 1964: Dr. Benjamin H. Ershoff, begins NASA-sponsored research prompted by evidence that astronauts' bodies lose large amounts of calcium from the bones under conditions of weightlessness. According to doctors, such conditions weaken the body and increase chances that kidney stones may develop during flights lasting months or years. Ershoff found that supplementing the diet with calcium alone couldn't reverse the severe damage of severely accelerated osteoporosis , but clay did, for animals. Especially the Terramin clay, (then called "ion-min) produced impressive results in promoting growth and preventing disorders in the bones of tested animals, Ershoff said.

Calcium Bentonite Clay is reported to contain no less than 67 minerals. This impressive assortment of minerals includes calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, manganese, and silica as well as trace elements, those appearing in very tiny amounts. The mineral content being extremely high sets the stage for replenishing dietary deficiencies. Today more than ever before, diets are lacking essential trace minerals and micronutrients. Without the basic minerals, life cannot exist; without trace minerals, major deficiencies may develop. Lack of either will make it impossible for the body to maintain good health and function properly. In clay the minerals occur in natural proportion to one another encouraging their absorption in the intestinal tract. Natural Calcium Bentonite Clay restores minerals in the tissues where they are needed. Furthermore, minerals are the carriers of the electrical potential in the cells which enable the hormones, vitamins, and enzymes to function properly. When a small percentage of the Nutramin clay was added to the animal diet , Ershoff said, the animals' body weight increased and bone diseases were prevented. Little or no benefits were noted, he said, when calcium alone was added. "This means that the clay supplement contained some factor or factors other than calcium which promoted improved calcium utilization and bone formation," he explained.

Ershoff added that the consumption of clay has been observed among many peoples and animals for centuries, especially in areas where there is a marked deficiency of calcium, iron and other minerals in the diet. I use the Terramin Clay in my drinking water everyday and also add it to my dog's food and drinking water. I sprinkle one or two tablespoons of the Terramin Calcium Bentonite clay into a quart of water . (I use ion-microwater (alkaline, live water). Unlike the Pascalite or other bentonite clays, Terramin clay is not gritty. It is pretty tasteless. Clay has done wonders for me health. I also add Terrabathe Clay to my bath water . To avoid creating clumps, I sprinkle clay over the hot water and let it stand without steering. Within 5 minutes or so, the clay will have dissolved into the water and sank at the bottom. Steering clay in water before it has a chance to dissolves on its own will inevitably create clumps which will be difficult to dissolve. Geophagy: Eating Clay and Dirt "Earth-eating , or geophagy, is a well-documented phenomenon.

Clay was used during the Balkan war of 1910 to reduce mortality from cholera among the soldiers from sixty to three percent. In his book, Knishinsky states some of the benefits reported by people using liquid clay for a period of two to four weeks include: improved intestinal regularity; relief from chronic constipation, diarrhea, indigestion, and ulcers; a surge in physical energy; clearer complexion; brighter, whiter eyes; enhanced alertness; emotional uplift; improved tissue and gum repair and increased resistance to infections. It has become apparent that the clay content is often the most important ingredient of selected soils. Clay is an effective binding agent as its chemical structure allows other chemicals to bond with it and so lose their reactivity. Clay is therefore an effective deactivator of toxins from diet or pathogens. Clay is the primary ingredient of kaolin and kaopectate that we use when suffering from gastrointestinal malaise. Clay has been reported to eliminate food poisoning, colitis, food allergies, viral infections, and parasites.

Medicinal clay is used word wide as an effective treatment for arthritis, cataracts, diabetic neuropathy, pain, wounds, diarrhea, stomach ulcers, animal and insect bites, acne, anemia alcoholism and for digestive conditions. Clay also re-mineralizes cells and tissues, alkalizes the body and is very effective in protecting our bodies against radiation A very interesting report done by Discover magazine on Geophagy, or eating dirt. "Since most humans consume more plant food than meat, it should come as no surprise that geophagy (from the Greek roots geo for 'earth' and phagein for 'eat') is also widespread in peasant communities on all continents, with descriptions going back to Roman times. In such communities, pregnant and lactating women especially crave soil, typically consuming one-and-a-half ounces or more per day." Dextreit writes that clay stimulates the deficient organ and help the restoration of the failing function. Clay is a powerful agent of stimulation, transformation and transmission. Clay contains highly active ingredients, able to induce cellular rebuilding and to hasten all organic processes. He also says that clay acts with wisdom - it goes to the unhealthy spot.

Used internally, whether absorbed orally, anally or vaginally, clay goes to the place where harm is, there it lodges, perhaps for several days, until finally it draws out the pus, black blood, etc. with its evacuation. Calcium montmorillonite and other types of clays attracts and neutralizes poisons in the intestinal tract. It can eliminate food allergies, food poisoning, mucus colitis, spastic colitis, viral infections, stomach flu, and parasites (parasites are unable to reproduce in the presence of clay). There is virtually no digestive disease that clay will not treat. It enriches and balances blood. It adsorbs radiation (think cell phones, microwaves, x-rays, TVs and irradiated food, for starters). It has been used for alcoholism, arthritis, cataracts, diabetic neuropathy, pain treatment, open wounds, diarrhea, hemorrhoids, stomach ulcers, animal and poisonous insect bites, acne, anemia, in fact, the list of uses is too long for this article. Many species of mammals, birds, reptiles, and even insects, in all parts of the world, eat dirt.

In the animal world, parrots seek out particular clays and deer lick hollows into patches of soil, traveling long distances to reach these tasty spots. Cattle will chew on clods of particular earths; in South Africa, cattle will often be found meditatively licking away at termite nests, hollowing out polished scoops in any weak spots. Termite nests are rich in trace elements, as these "white ants" carry up fragments from as much as a hundred feet down." The Mud That Heals! "The Native Americans call it "Ee-Wah-Kee" meaning "The-Mud-That-Heals" Bentonite, as well as other types of healing clay, has been used by indigenous cultures since before recorded history. "The Amargosians (predecessors to the Aztecs ), the Aborigines, and natives of Mexico and South America all recognized the benefit of clays. " "...healing mud not only draws toxic material out of the body if taken internally, but also reduces pain and infection in open wounds on both humans and animals." Knishinsky writes that clay is part of his diet and he never skip a day without eating clay.

He writes "When clay is consumed, its vital force is released into the physical body and mingles with the vital energy of the body, creating a stronger, more powerful energy in the host. The natural magnetic action transmits a remarkable power to the organism and helps to rebuild vital potential through the liberation of latent energy. When the immune system does not function at its best, the clay stimulates the body's inner resources to awaken the stagnant energy. It supplies the body with the available magnetism to run well. Clay is said to propel the immune system to find a new healthy balance and strengthens the body to a point of higher resistance." Naturally absorbent and extremely gentle on the system, clay can treat ailments affecting digestion, circulation, menstruation, and the liver, skin, and prostate. Clay also remedies symptoms of arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, gum diseases, and migraines. Ran Knishinsky says that he eats clay everyday, that it is part of his diet. He never skip a day without eating clay. On page 95 suggests the following : infants: 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon (in a bottle), Small frame: one teaspoon, Medium frame: one heaping teaspoon, Large frame: one tablespoon.

Clay provides an impressive assortment of minerals, including calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, sulfur, manganese, and silica as well as trace elements—those appearing in very tiny amounts. Without the basic minerals, life cannot exist; without the trace minerals, major deficiencies will develop. The lack of either will make it impossible for the body to maintain good health. Shirley Recommends: The Colorado clay lady, Barbara, volunteers her time to assist visitors of this website. She can help you with your questions, place your clay orders and can be reached at 970-731-0883. Adsorption versus Absorption The two words look alike, but their difference is critical in understanding the functions of clay minerals. Adsorption characterizes the process by which substances stick to the outside surface of the adsorbent medium. The clay possesses unsatisfied ionic bonds around the edges of its mineral particles. It naturally seeks to satisfy those bonds. For this to happen, it must meet with a substance carrying an opposite electrical (ionic) charge. When this occurs, the ions held around the outside structural units of the adsorbent medium and the substance are exchanged.

The particles of clay are said to carry a negative electrical charge, whereas impurities, bacteria, or toxins, carry a positive electrical charge. For this very reason clay has been used to adsorb the colloidal impurities in beer, wine, and cider. The impurities in wine carry positive charges and can be agglomerated (brought together) and removed by stirring a small amount of negatively charged clay material into the wine. The clay particles attract the wine impurities and they settle out together (flocculate). The process works the same in the human body. When clay is taken internally, the positively charged toxins are attracted by the negatively charged surfaces of the clay mineral. An exchange reaction occurs whereby the clay swaps its ions for those of the other substance. Now, electrically satisfied, it holds the toxin in suspension till the body can eliminate both. The term active, or alive, indicated the ionic exchange capacities of a given clay mineral. The degree to which the clay-mineral ions become active determine its classification as alive. Living bodies are able to grow and change their form and size by taking within them lifeless material of certain kinds, and by transforming it into a part of themselves. No dead body can adsorb. It is physically impossible.

Absorption is a much more slow and involved process than adsorption. Here, the clay acts more like a sponge, drawing substances into its internal structure. In order for absorption to occur, the substance must undergo a chemical change to penetrate the medium's barrier. Once it has done that, it enters between the unit layers of the structure. Instead of the toxins, for instance, sticking only to the surface, they are actually pulled inside the clay. This is the reason why absorptive clays are labeled expandable clays. The more substances the clay absorbs into its internal structure, the more it expands and its layers swell. Any clay mineral with an inner layer charge is an absorbent. Having an inner layer charge means having charged ions, sitting between layers, that are surrounded by water molecules. In this way, the clay will expand as the substance to be absorbed fills the spaces between the stacked silicate layers. Some clays are more gentle in their absorption, whereas others are definitely more radical. Absorption takes place with clay when the clay draws particulates into its internals layered structure, much like a sponge. Clay minerals have an inner layer charge that acts like an absorbent and can absorb and bond with many elements that are toxic, both man-made and natural.

Photo above shows microscopic platelets of clay. Notice the huge surface area of these minute clay particles Small Platelets of Clay Particles Tremendously Increase Surface Area The smaller the particle size of clay, the more platelets there are per given cubic centimeter of volume or unit of weight and the larger the total surface area is. Their absorbent and adsorbent capacity increases with the numbers of clay platelets per given unit of measure. The natural parent size of clay particles as created by nature is fixed. The industrial process of crushing, grinding, milling, etc, will not change the parent particle size once created. They do clump or bond together many times making them larger in size, however processing it mechanically can make them no smaller than nature originally created. On a molecular level, Robert T. Marin, a mineralogist at MIT, points to Bentonite’s minute particle size that creates a large surface area in proportion to the volume used. “The greater the surface area, the greater its power to pick up positively charged particles of ions.” Mr. Marin stated that one gram of clay has a surface area of 800 square meters. That equates to about 8 football fields in size.

Thus the greater the surface area, the greater the power to pick up positive charged ions many times its own weight (free radicals are positively charged for example). Clays are like people, there are no two alike. Each clay deposit on earth has its own fingerprint. This unique identity is comprised of its particular composition of the elements on the periodic table, different ratios to one another, different ionic electrical charge, different particle size, different purity, different exposure for a different amount of time, to mention a few of the differences. As a result of some of these differences, they react accordingly different when applied or utilized. Some clays “work”, while others do not or at least, not very well for the intended purpose, depending on what that purpose is. Examples of such purposes that the beneficial effects clay provides are: industrial manufacturing, cosmetic and paint base, paper coating, cleansing, detoxifying, polymer resin nanotechnology, agriculture, aquaculture, nutritional supplement for people and animals, ponds and waterways flocculation cleanup, and much more. As a result of the many various uses of this simple but yet very complex compound, the net effective difference between clays has a direct relationship to cost.

Animals Eat Clay for Minerals and as Medicine In her marvelous book Wild Health: How Animals Keep Themselves Well and What We Can Learn From Them, Cindy Engles, Ph.D. devotes an entire chapter to geophagy (clay or earth-eating). She documents the benefit of clay to human and animal health all over the world. Mammals, birds, reptiles, and invertebrates have been observed to eat dirt on every continent except Antarctica. Clay has helped cows with scours and pneumonia. Veterinarians use it on dogs, cats, horses, etc... for various afflictions including injuries and infections. Pets are helped, too. Recently more information has become available outlining the important role clay can play in the recovery and maintenance of health. Many wild animals, and some people, develop , pica' when ill, a craving to eat earth - particularly clay, which assuages diarrhea and binds to many plant poisons. Among the most famous clay-eaters are the parrots of the Amazon. Scarlet macaws, blue and gold macaws, and hosts of smaller birds perch together in their hundreds to excavate the best clay layer along a riverbank.

Parrots' regular diet is tree seeds, which the trees defend with toxic chemicals, and clay is an essential buffer to the toxins. Edible healing clays have been shown to be able to literally pull pollutants out like a magnet, getting rid of years of toxic accumulation. Bill Roundy is a retired rancher. He remembers a generation ago, when he lived in Utah, that he and other cattle ranchers, learned a valuable lesson by watching their cattle. Whenever a cow got sick and went off her food, the ranchers would turn her out to fend for herself, as they could not afford to throw good money after bad. But, they noticed that, time and time again, the cows would return after a few days, fully recovered, and ready to feed with the rest of the herd. It wasn't long before these ranchers discovered how the cows were recovering. The sickly cattle would take themselves across the desert to clay banks, and feed on them until their health returned. When the ranchers saw how easy and cheap was the solution, they transported to their sick cows - a practice still continued today.

Birds eat soil to bind and deactivate plant toxins "Deep in the rain forests of New Guinea, Jared Diamond was surprised to see parrots, pigeons and crows fly down to a new landslide of earth and eat the bare dirt. The birds flocked to this rare opportunity to access bare earth in an area densely covered with vegetation. Not all of the observed 140 bird species came down to eat earth. Only the eight herbivorous species that regularly ate fruit, seeds and flowers. Plants naturally contain numerous toxins that protect them from predators and pathogens. When the landslide soils were analyzed they were found to contain less minerals than the surrounding top soil but again the clay content was high and, what is more, found to be more effective at binding alkaloids and tannins than pure pharmaceutical kaolinite. These birds were taking advantage of newly disturbed earth and selecting soil of just the right properties to bind and deactivate plant toxins." [Diamond,J 1998 Eat Dirt: in the competition between parrots and fruit trees, it's the winners who bite the dust. Discover. 19(2) pp70-76.].

Related: Why some minerals in clay may kill Drug-Resistant bacteria Incredible True Stories Of People That Use Clay A patient taking 2 no. 00 capsules of powder by mouth four times a day removed all symptoms of an active ulcer and hyperacidity in 7 days. A wet pack applied to corns and callouses on and between the toes was left on 3 days, then changed and left on 3 more days. All symptoms were relieved, and the corns had disappeared. Used as a water-and-Pascalite pack on the face and arms of an explosion-burn victim, it relieved the pain almost immediately and these areas did not blister. The hands, given conventional treatment, did blister. Three individuals stated under oath that topical use of Pascalite paste had removed all symptoms of hemorrhoid in 2 to 4 nightly applications. Many other have reported similar results in uts use for piles, rectal fissures and related conditions. Kit Nelson of Scottsdale, Arizona explains how Pascalite cured her 22-year old daughter of a serious case of chicken pox: "she was very ill and covered from head to toe with pox which nearly drove her crazy because of the itching and irritation.

In desperation she mixed Pascalite with water to a thin consistency and applied it to her body. In a matter of hours ( ! ) the healing set in and she had complete rest and relief. Her recovery was fast and her skin remained lovely - the pox left no scars, which was a miracle." A Vietnam veteran, returning home a hopeless addict and alcoholic, so desperate that he contemplated suicide, and was willing to try anything, was persuaded to take some Pascalite internally. He noticed from the first day that he began drinking Pascalite and water, his compulsion to drink slowly left him. Shortly his life did a complete turn-around. He not only lost his alcohol dependency, but also his addiction to dope. He then met another Vietnam vet suffering the same double addiction. He got the fellow to use Pascalite as well, and the results were the same! Horse helped by clay Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2006 Name: Lynn Lawrence Location: Surrey, British Colombia I Thank-you for all of the great information you provide on your site, especially the information on clay. I had always wondered why my mare was digging holes and eating mouthfuls of dirt.

I new there was a mineral deficiency in her diet, but what she was also telling me was she was trying to detox. The clay has supplied the answer to both. My mare gets the best quality hay, whole foods as well as flax, blue green algae etc. But her diet, as with mine falls short because of our top soil.(To bad the price doesn't fall short as well).I have also noticed a sense of well being, that is starting to return. The day I received my clay one of the mares in the barn had her leg blow up for no apparent reason the Vet. could offer nothing. This mares back leg was four times the normal size, I have never seen this before, and I had a bad feeling in my stomach. I got some clay in a bucket, mixed with water and poulticed her leg from top to bottom, the instant the clay touched her leg she dropped her head and started licking her lips, by morning the inflammation had been reduced to half. I started the clay in her food, and she started to "pick up". I know in my heart that the clay saved her life. I am so grateful that the day I was faced with this I had something to offer!!!

Warmest regards Eaton's Amazing Healing Experience with Clay Jason R. Eaton, developed a severe skin condition in 1988 which no dermatologist could cure. "After a host of antibiotic and acid treatments, I left the comforts of the realm of modern medicine in search of an alternate solution. The period 1989 - 1993 marked a time of extensive research into metaphysics, which eventually led to my own personal discovery of Bentonite late in 1993, where I literally stumbled into a natural deposit in the middle of the night! On that same autumn evening I tried an application of this natural clay while soaking in a well hidden natural hotspring pool deep in the far and silent reaches of the Mojave Desert. Within five minutes I experienced the first pain-free moment in four years." Question about Aluminum Hydroxide in edible clays and soils Elements on the periodic table, including aluminum hydroxide, lead, copper, chromium, mercury, strontium, etc., in the natural form, are totally different than these same elements after they are transformed by industrial processes for manufacturing and commerce.

The molecular rearrangement of these elements in the refining process isolates aluminum molecules for example, to make airplane parts or frying pans for commerce. This refining procedure changes the original natural elemental molecular structure by industrial processing through rearranging the natural elemental form to an isolated man made form. As a result of this process, many times this alteration of elements transform them into elements that are sometimes harmful or toxic to life forms. Certain edible clays and soils in the natural and unaltered form are inert and safe for life, like food and water (H2O). Water is a natural compound and if one were to separate the hydrogen molecule from water by the refining process, it could be used to fuel cars of the future or make bombs and therefore is not only harmful and toxic but lethal. If one were to take a spoonful of earth from their own back yard and have it chemically analyzed, they would find many of these same elements. When chemically rearranging these elements by the refinement process, they also become harmful or highly toxic. The elements on the periodic table may be altered by many industrial processes through molecular isolation (separation) and further combined with other elements and chemical procedures to make products.

An example in metals, alloys area among the most common combination for things like tool steel in knifes and machines. Many factory or man made drugs also fall into this group. Many times both are harmful or even toxic to plant, animals, humans as well as the environment itself. Molecular rearrangement, isolation, and combining other refined elements making industrial/factory compounds are totally different than elements found in nature. Throughout the world, soils that contain different minerals and clays are what plants utilize for growth and life itself. The nutrients in these soils transfer into plants by a process called plant root nutrient uptake. As a result, what elements found in plants come from the soil and the soil contains clay. If the plants that animals and humans eat to live are harmful or toxic, then plant, animal and human life would not be on earth as we know it. Certain edible clays, terramin calcium montmorillonite clay) when ingested are like food and water, is not only safe but provide many natural health benefits, including a high nutrient source, detoxification, PH and blood balance, colon cleansing, assist in total body healing, to mention a few.

Eating Soil Based Organism (SBO) as Medicine Humans have been eating clay and dirt for medicinal and cleansing purpose for forty thousand years—until now. An obsession with germ-free homes and a sterile food system is leaving us craving earth—more specifically, all of those beneficial soil-based organisms found in dirt. In Eat Dirt , Dr. Axe explains that it’s essential to get a little “dirty” in our daily lives in order to support our gut bacteria and prevent leaky gut syndrome. More than 800 studies exist in scientific literature that reference soil based organisms (SBO) . Their common denominator is that they link SBOs to successfully treating a wide variety of health conditions Dr. Axe offers simple ways to get these needed soil based organisms (SBOs) microorganisms known as Microbiome that support gut health and immune response, from incorporating clay and local honey and bee pollen into our diet to forgoing hand sanitizers and even ingesting a little probiotic-rich soil. "If the concept of eating dirt seems gross to you, consider this: If you were to take away the water in our bodies, you’d be left with mostly dirt.

That’s because we’re made of 60 of the most abundant elements in the Earth’s crust". Dr. Axe MD A study published in mBio found that just one weeklong course of antibiotics changed participants' gut microbiomes , with the effects sometimes lasting as long as a year. After all, antibiotics don’t discriminate—as they attack the bad bacteria, the good ones are vulnerable too. Recent changes in growing and processing food harm kids’ gut microbiomes , immune systems, and brains, contributing to chronic disease and neurological disorder such as hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder. The use of volcanic ashes and clay internally is almost older than civilization itself. Primitive tribes of various continents have used various types of clay for conditions of toxicity. Dr. Weston A. Price in his book, Nutrition and Physical Degeneration , stated that in studying diets of certain tribes he examined their knapsacks. Among those examined in the high Andes, among those in Central Africa and among the Aborigines of Australia he reported that some contained balls of clay, a little of which was dissolved in water. Into the clay were dipped morsels of food. The explanation was that this was to prevent "sick stomach".

These people were reported to use the clays for combating dysentery and food infections. In South America he found that the Quetchus Indians, believed to be descendants of the once powerful Incas, were largely vegetarians and he stated, "Immediately before eating, their potatoes are dipped into an aqueous suspension of clay, a procedure which is said to prevent 'souring in the stomach'." Yet, only comparatively recently has the white man apparently begun to use kaolin, one of the clays. Earth: Our Living Planet

Question: Derived from the name of a Chinese village and hill, what is the alternative name for China Clay?
Answer: Kaolin